


O Soror

by cnoocy



Category: Le Serment des Horaces | Oath of the Horatii - Jacques-Louis David
Genre: Dactylic Hexameter, Gen, Poetry
Language: Lingua latina
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-24
Updated: 2013-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-05 21:27:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1098772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cnoocy/pseuds/cnoocy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Horatia Curiatiae breviter flet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	O Soror

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ineffabilitea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ineffabilitea/gifts).



O soror Albana, proli matertera cara,  
tristitiae numquam tollendae nunc oriuntur.  
Tergemini fratres fratres occidere spondent;  
Albani vivant, Romani si ceciderint.  
Enses ecce sacrant, orant viduare sorores;  
orbus erit infans, gladios qui spectat avitos.  
"Sex hominum pugna vitanda proelia vasta."  
Haec sunt verba ducum; licet etsi nos dubitare.  
Qui bellum duxit, posthac non abjicit arma.

* * *

O Alban sister, dear aunt of my child,  
sorrows never to be born are now coming forth.  
Triplet brothers pledge to kill brothers;  
The Albans will live, if the Romans have fallen.  
Behold they sanctify blades, pray to widow sisters;  
The child watching his grandfather's swords will be an orphan.  
"With a fight of six men horrible battles will be avoided."  
These are the leaders' words; yet we may doubt.  
He who led a war won't then toss his weapons aside.

**Author's Note:**

> Apologies for the clunkiness of the English translation.


End file.
